What Is Currant jelly and How Can I Use It?

Wondering what to do with currant jelly? This guide covers how to pick it, cook it, store it, and swap it, plus 76 recipes to put it to work.

What is currant jelly?

Currant jelly is a clear, firmly set preserve made from red currant juice and sugar, set by the fruit's own natural pectin. It is jewel-bright red and almost translucent. That tartness cuts a clean line through anything rich.

Because it is a jelly, not a jam, it holds no seeds or skins, just smooth, quivering set juice. That clarity is part of its job: brushed over fruit or meat, it dries to a glossy, see-through coat.

Red currants are tart enough that even with all that sugar the jelly stays sharp, which is why it works as well in savory cooking as on toast. Most jars sold simply as "currant jelly" are red currant; black currant jelly is a separate, deeper, more musky thing.

How to Use Currant Jelly

Its classic trick is the glaze. Warm a few spoonfuls until they loosen, then brush over a fruit tart so the berries gleam and stay put, the way it finishes a Strawberry or Raspberry Custard Tart or an Old-Fashioned Currant Tart.

But its range runs well past dessert.

On the savory side, it melts into pan sauces for game and red meat, where its tartness balances the richness. It is the backbone of the sauce in Venison & Redcurrant Casserole and Caribou Steaks with Whisky Sauce, and a spoonful sharpens the gravy for Shrewsbury Lamb.

It is also the heart of Cumberland sauce, the cold British classic of currant jelly, port, orange, and mustard served with ham or pate. And a small jar fills the centers of thumbprint cookies, where its firm set holds a neat red dot through baking.

Pairing and Common Mistakes

Currant jelly was made to cut richness. It loves lamb, venison, duck, beef, and pork, and it stands up to port, red wine, orange, rosemary, and mustard without getting lost. On the sweet side it lifts berries and cream and buttery pastry.

The most common mistake is treating it like a sweet jam. It is far tarter than grape or strawberry jelly, so swapping it into a recipe that wanted those will throw the balance toward sour.

For a glaze, the second mistake is brushing it on cold and thick. It tears the fruit and sets in lumps. Warm it first with a splash of water until it flows, then brush thin.

Warm jar, thin coat. That is the whole secret.

If your glaze sets too firm or too soft on the tart, the fix is the same warm jar: reheat gently and add a little water to thin, or simmer a touch longer to thicken.

Substitutes

The closest swap is another tart red jelly. Cranberry jelly comes nearest in both color and sharpness, and it behaves the same as a glaze or in a pan sauce for meat.

Redcurrant jelly's savory role can also be filled by a good fruit preserve plus acid. Try seedless raspberry jam or apple jelly with a squeeze of lemon to push it back toward tart, since most other jellies are sweeter and rounder.

For a clear tart glaze specifically, apricot jam (warmed and strained) is the traditional choice for lighter fruit, while currant or cranberry stays best for red and dark berries. For Cumberland sauce there is no real substitute that keeps the dish honest, so reach for cranberry only in a pinch.

Buying and Storage

You will find currant jelly with the jams and jellies, usually in small jars, since a little goes a long way in savory cooking. Read the label to be sure you are getting red currant rather than black, as they are not interchangeable in flavor.

Unopened, a sealed jar keeps for a year or more in the pantry. Once you open it, move it to the fridge, where it holds for several weeks to a couple of months. Always use a clean spoon, since crumbs and butter left in the jar invite mold.

If you see any fuzzy mold or an off smell, throw the whole jar out rather than scooping around it. A thin layer of liquid on top, or some weeping, is normal and stirs right back in.

Nutrition

Quick facts

Where to find currant jelly: Currant jelly is usually found in the condiments section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group: Currant jelly is a member of the Sweets US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

In Chinese

果酱

British (UK) term

Currant jelly

en français

gelée de groseille

en español

mermelada de grosella

How much does currant jelly weigh?

Related

Sweets

Recipes using currant jelly

There are 76 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Venison & Redcurrant Casserole

This is a wonderful recipe for either a dinner party or Sunday lunch. Whether or not you use redcurrants in the actual sauce or purely as a decoration depends very much on the time of year and variety of redcurrants you can find. End of summer home-grown redcurrants add a wonderful sweet tartness to the sauce, however imported under-ripe fruits can impart a certain bitterness and are probably best left for garnish. If you do not use fresh berries add a little extra redcurrant jelly.

Rosemary Chicken Skewers with Berry Sauce

I've always been a fan of combining sweet fruits with savory spices, it sets up a certain flavor balance that just works so well. Mango with chili pepper, peaches and thyme, rhubarb and rosemary. They're all delicious, so can there be any question that blackberries and rosemary would just be a match made in heaven?

Octoberfest Braised Red Cabbage with Bratwurst

German braised red cabbage with bratwurst, simmered low and slow with Granny Smith apples, caraway, and a sweet-tart hit of vinegar and currant jelly. A classic Oktoberfest plate of silky ruby cabbage and juicy sausage.

Strawberry or Raspberry Custard Tart

We took these tartlets with us to our friends place to dinner, they disappeared quickly, and they were so tasty, almond crust was a hit, and whole milk custard turned out creamy and delicious. Definitely a keeper!

Rosehip, Hibiscus & Currant Pie or Cake Filling

Rosehip, Hibiscus & Currant Pie or Cake Filling recipe

Glazed Chicken Legs with Cornbread Stuffing

Microwave glazed chicken legs over a bed of cornbread stuffing, brushed with a sweet currant jelly glaze. A complete chicken dinner ready in about 30 minutes.

Roasted Red Currant & Sherry Beef Ribs

Red currant jelly is brillant in this marinated sauce. A few ingredients create this juicy and delicious roasted beef ribs.

Sweet Tart Sauce

A 2-ingredient sauce of currant jelly and prepared mustard, microwaved until smooth. Sweet, tangy, and ready in 5 minutes. Glaze a ham, dip meatballs, or drizzle over chicken.

Venison Sauces

Three classic venison sauces: a sharp champagne vinegar sauce, a sweet currant jelly and wine sauce, and a rich pan gravy with walnut pickle. Also pairs with hare or mutton.

Carrageen Pudding with Rhubarb & Rosehip Jelly

Traditional Scottish carrageen pudding set in a ring mould with lemon milk and egg, served with rhubarb compote and a scarlet rosehip or redcurrant sauce.

Avocado Mousse Melba

Avocado Mousse Melba blends avocado with sweetened condensed milk and lemon, folds into whipped cream, and serves with raspberry Melba sauce on decoratively swirled cream. A restaurant-worthy dessert.

Jelly-Filled Pears in Puff Pastry with Caramel Sauce

Whole Bartlett pears cored and filled with currant jelly, wrapped in golden puff pastry and baked, served pooled in Calvados caramel sauce. A bakery-window dessert that looks impossible but isn't.

Peach Melba

Classic peach Melba: vanilla ice cream crowned with a poached peach half, glossy raspberry-currant sauce, crushed macaroons, and a piped collar of whipped cream. Auguste Escoffier's signature dessert from 1893.

Fruited Cheesecake

Fruited cheesecake: a creamy ricotta cheesecake on a vanilla wafer crust, crowned with fresh fruit arranged in concentric circles and glazed with currant jelly. A bakery-style summer dessert for eight.

Crockery Ham

Slow cooker spiral ham glazed with currant jelly, dry mustard, cinnamon, and clove. Studded with whole cloves for that holiday-table look without heating up the oven.

Glaze for Corned Beef

Sweet and tangy corned beef glaze made with currant jelly, mustard, and horseradish. Three ingredients that transform leftover corned beef into a glazed showpiece.

Ruby Pears

Ruby pears poached in Beaujolais wine with currant jelly, rosemary, vanilla bean, and whole cloves. Pressure cooked and chilled 24 hours for deep ruby color.

Gravy with Sherry

Quick sherry pan gravy with currant jelly, orange juice, soy sauce, and a splash of sherry, thickened with cornstarch. A sweet-savory sauce ready in 15 minutes for roast game, duck, lamb, or holiday turkey.

Lemon Tea Snow with Strawberry Sauce

Lemon tea snow with strawberry sauce: a light, airy gelatin dessert flavored with lemon and instant tea, beaten with egg whites into a cloud. Served with a warm-set strawberry-currant sauce. Retro Southern tearoom fare.

Summer Fruit Saute

Quick summer fruit saute with peaches, dark plums, and raspberries in a buttery currant jelly glaze. Served warm over frozen yogurt for a 15-minute seasonal dessert.

Sauteed Turkey with Citrus Currant Sauce

Sauteed turkey cutlets with a quick citrus currant pan sauce made from orange juice, lemon juice, currant jelly, and tarragon finished with butter.

Thumbprints

Classic walnut-crusted thumbprint cookies with tender shortbread base and jewel-toned jelly centers perfect for cookie swaps and holiday gift boxes.

Thumbprints

Classic walnut-crusted thumbprint cookies with tender shortbread base and jewel-toned jelly centers perfect for cookie swaps and holiday gift boxes.

Barbequed Pork Ribs/Currant Glaze

Spice-rubbed pork ribs finished with a sweet-tart currant jelly glaze spiked with orange juice, lemon, and Dijon mustard. Grilled low and slow until the meat pulls clean.

Sweet-Sour Franks

Slow-cooker sweet and sour cocktail franks simmered in chili sauce, currant jelly, mustard, and pineapple chunks. Retro mid-century party appetizer that holds warm in the crock for serving.

Currant Jelly Sauce (Uncle Buck's)

Uncle Buck's currant jelly sauce is a fiery, tangy glaze for venison and wild game. Currant jelly, cayenne, Worcestershire, hot sauce, and butter simmer into a bold, velvety finish.

Hunters Pheasant

Hunters pheasant braised with onion, carrot, and celery in stock, finished with a currant jelly-thickened sauce. Classic British game bird comfort served with mash and red cabbage.

Recipie for Leftover Ham

Ham loaf made with ground ham and pork, glazed with a tangy currant jelly and mustard sauce. The best way to use leftover ham in a comforting retro meatloaf.

Robb's Raisin Sauce for Ham or Tongue

Sweet raisin sauce for ham or tongue made with brown sugar, currant jelly, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire, cloves, and mace. Make-ahead friendly and ready in 20 minutes.

Hot Cumberland Sauce

A zesty and versatile sauce, perfect for game, ham, roasts, or tongue. A blend of spices, wine, and citrus for a delightful flavor.

Company Ham Sauce

Company ham sauce turns the drippings from a baked ham into an elegant sweet-savory sauce, thickened with cornstarch and layered with currant jelly, Dijon, sherry, and plump currants. The finishing touch your holiday ham deserves.

Roast Pheasant with Rice

Roast pheasant stuffed with toasted rice, mushrooms, and herbs, draped in bacon and basted with a currant jelly and port wine sauce. A classic wild game dinner.

Pork Chops & Sweet Potatoes

Pork chops and sweet potatoes baked in a currant jelly glaze with orange juice, dry mustard, ginger, and lemon zest for a sweet-savory one-dish dinner.

Wile Goose a L'Orange

Wild goose roasted at 325F and basted with a glossy orange-currant glaze made with fresh OJ, port wine, and orange sections. Slow-cooked for 3.5 hours until the drumstick meat is fall-apart tender.

Best Monte Cristo Sandwich in The World

This is the best Monte Cristo sandwich in the world... and I don't just mean Disneyworld. It seems complicated but believe me..it is well worth the effort. Make each item in the order given. The Currant Jelly Sauce and the Fruit Compote go alongside.

Rehruecken

Rehruecken (saddle of venison cake) bakes a German chocolate-cinnamon sponge in a ribbed loaf mold, splits and fills with currant jelly, then glazes with chocolate and studs with slivered almonds.

Peach Pizza Pie

Peach pizza pie: a 12-inch shortbread crust topped with fresh peaches and a currant-jelly orange glaze, finished with whipped cream. A summer dessert dressed up like a fruit tart.

Venison with Currants & Chanterelle Mushrooms

Slow braised venison with current and earthy Chanterelle mushrooms.

Corned Beef Brisket with Stir-Fried Cabbage

Slow-simmered corned beef brisket glazed with currant jelly, served alongside stir-fried cabbage with red pepper, vinegar, and caraway seeds. A stunning twist on the classic boiled dinner.

Honey Baked Ham with Cumberland Sauce

Honey baked ham basted in pineapple juice and brown sugar, served with a glossy ruby Cumberland sauce of port wine, currants, julienned citrus rind, currant jelly, and dark sweet cherries.

Medallions of Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Meat Sauce

Pork tenderloin medallions with Bing cherry sauce: pan-seared pork simmered in a sweet-tart glaze of currant jelly, raspberry vinegar, orange juice, and tarragon. Topped with fresh cherries. A dinner party showstopper.

Grilled Lamb Chops

Grilled lamb chops marinated overnight in currant jelly and Dijon mustard, cooked over hickory coals, and served with a shallot-rosemary white wine butter sauce.

Scandinavian Apple Cake

Scandinavian apple cake layered with toasted cake crumbs, currant jelly, macaroons, and ground nuts, topped with whipped cream and sugar-toasted almonds.

Pane Di Mattina Alla Siciliana

Pane di Mattina alla Siciliana is a sweet Sicilian breakfast bread enriched with eggs, butter, lemon zest, fennel seed, and Marsala-soaked raisins and currants. Sicily's answer to morning brioche.

Thumbprints with Current Jelly

Buttery shortbread cookies meet crunchy walnut coating and glossy currant jelly in these classic holiday thumbprints that freeze beautifully for make-ahead baking.

Wine Cream Roll

A delicate sponge cake rolled around a silky white wine custard filling, served with warm strawberry currant sauce. A vintage jelly roll dessert that pairs dry white wine with sweet berries.

Barbecued Pork Ribs with Currant Glaze

Pork ribs rubbed with ginger, coriander, and paprika, grilled low and slow, then glazed with a sweet-tart red currant jelly and Dijon mustard finish. Elegant enough to pair with a Cabernet.

Rustic Herbed Apricot Chicken

Marinating the chicken in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dried thyme and tarragon add great depth to a rice sauce that's smoothed by just a hint of red currant jelly and enhanced with apricots and tawny port. Be sure to use tawny port. With its beautiful amber color and slightly dry flavor, it compliments the apricots. Save your ruby port, which is sweeter and has a deep red wine color, for after dinner.

Red Currant-Glazed Pork Chops

Pan-seared pork chops with a sweet-tart red currant and balsamic glaze. Sage-rubbed loin chops finished in a glossy two-ingredient pan sauce.

Windsor Canadian Goose

Buttermilk-soaked Canadian goose stuffed with prunes and apples, wrapped in bacon, and slow-roasted until tender. Served with a rich sour cream and currant jelly sauce. A showpiece roast for eight.

All 76 recipes